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"These games don't require Stanford Stadium, they just require more than your average classroom or living room can handle. (Unless of course you like paying for broken Ming Vases and shattered windows, etc.)" - Jonathan

Jump right to our Newest Games!
Gargoyles

Air soccer:

Two very wide goals are placed in the room- one for each team (you can just use a designated wall for a goal). An inflated balloon is used for the ball and fans are made of cardboard or plastic with a handle (you can use strips of wood and use staples to hold the two together). The game is played by fanning the balloon in to the other team goal (which can be difficult). The first team to get a goal wins.
Added by Kevin Matthews

Ameba Race:

Tie several crowds of people together with a rope around their perimeter and have them race each other's group as a large "Ameba."

Blindfold Marco Polo Dogdeball:

Blindfold half of your staff and give them a dodgeball. Have them stand in the middle of the play area. Assign a second staff member to each blindfolded staff to be a ball fetcher. The blindfolded staff call out "Marco" in which every kid has to respond "Polo!" The blindfolded staff try to throw the ball at the kids. If they hit one the assistant staff remove them to a designated area and then fetch the ball. Last kid remaining is the winner.

Rules:

Blob Tag:

This game is a normal game of tag with an added twist. When "it" tags someone, that person becomes part of it. Then the two of them must run hand-in-hand and catch their next victim who will also join them. Last one caught by the "Blob" is the winner!

Car lot:

(this game is played like "sharks and minnows")
Choose a 'used car dealer' or two (put a pair of plaid pants on them for fun) and have them pick 3 different car names (ie: Honda Civic, Chevy Cavalier, and a 82 VW diesel Jetta, my personal favorite.) Each runner picks one of these 3 cars, and becomes that car. The dealer yells out a car. Each car by that name sprints across the room. When you are tagged, sit. Now you may tag future cars. The dealer may yell "carlot" so everyone must run at the same time.
Object: Be the last car running, and become the new dealer
submitted by Jon Talley

Cat Tails

You will need some strips of cloth (approx. 2-3 ft of fabric, cloth, plastic, cord etc...) for everyone who plays. The game is simple. Have everyone tuck the strips into the back of their pants or shorts so that approx 2 feet of excess strip is left hanging.(Note this works great with young children as well). The object of the game is to pull all the other players tail off. The last one standing with their tail is the winner.

Have everyone run with their hands on their head- except when grabbing a tail. This prevents people from blocking and makes them look pretty funny.
Idea by Chris Dunn

Catch the Dragon's Tail:

(Good game for picnics or big gatherings. There is no winner or loser.)

Number of players: 10-30 kids
Playing Site: Large open area
Items needed: A large scarf or handkerchief
Time: 15-45 minutes
Object of the game: The first person in the line tries to catch the last person in line.

All the players line up and put their hands on the waist of the person in front of them. The last person in line tucks one end of the scarf in his back pocket, belt, or waistband. The first person in lines tries to grab the scarf. When the "head" gets the "tail", he dons the scarf and becomes the new tail. The person second in line becomes the head.

Variation: Form two or more teams, each being a "dragon" trying to catch the others tail.

Chariot Races:

Divide youth into groups of three. Each group gets a large blanket or bed sheet. (note: this is pretty tough on the linen.)
Each team lines up at the starting line. Two of the youth on each team are holding onto front corners of the sheet / blanket. One youth is sitting on the other end of the blanket, soon to be hanging on for dear life. At the signal, the teams race around a designated course (a large oval works well), the two youth in front acting as horses and the sheet / blanket acting as a chariot.
The race consists of three laps. At the end of each lap, the youth rotate, so one of the people riding now pulls, and one of the pullers now rides. Three laps allows each person to ride once and pull twice. If a rider is thrown from his chariot, the team must stop until the rider is firmly re_seated. We've played this with great success inside (on carpet) and outside on the grass.
Added by Joshua Ellis

Chinese Fire Drill Basketball

If your church is blessed with a gym and more than two baskets, this is a good game. Divide the group into a number of teams that is one more than the number of baskets you have. The extra team gets a basketball. Each of the other teams is assigned a basket to defend. When the game starts, following basic basketball rules, the team with the ball attacks one of the defended baskets. If the attacking team scores a basket they take the ball with them and attack the next basket located counterclockwise in the gym. If the defending team gains possession of the ball before the attacking team scores, the defending team becomes the attacking team and moves to the next defended basket. The team that just lost the ball stays at that basket and defends it from the next attack.
Repeat this pattern until time expires. For extra mayhem, pick teams so there are initially two extra teams so that there are always two baskets being attacked. Be sure your good basketball players are spread among the teams.
Added by Gary Slater

Communist Church

This game is PERFECT for that All Night Activity. It also is a great set up for a discussion starter.
Set Up: Explain to the kids about communism, how Christians are not allowed to gather. If they are found gathering, they are put in prison.
Game Prep: In the building that you are going to use. Make sure all the doors to rooms are shut. Lock rooms that youth are not allowed in, and unlock rooms that they are allowed. Make sure that the doors are all shut. (This makes it more fun)
The Game: Take a flashlight (this represents the church) hide it in a room in your building. Make sure you turned the flashlight on, and hidden it so light light cannot be seen without REALLY looking for it. Your Youth's job is to find the flashlight you've hidden. Once they do they are not to touch the light, but they are to hide in that room, so no one knows they are there. Depending on the size of your group, but once a group of about 10 find the church the game is over.
The Catch: Have your youth leaders (this works best) or have some of your youth, be the communists. Their job is to catch the kids and take them outside the building. The communists are only allowed in the hallways, they cannot go inside of rooms. If they tag or grab a youth, the youth must surrender and be escorted out. Once the youth are outside their job is to find a way back in. Which you have made difficult since you or another youth leader is constantly locking and unlocking doors, leaving 1 door unlocked at all times. Did I mention that it can only be played at night, with ALL the lights off.
added by Jason Goss

Doctor doctor:

(this is modified dodge-ball) Divide into 2 teams, each choosing a doctor, or 2 for larger groups (their identity being secret). Just like regular dodge-ball, use a bunch of balls that are soft and throw them at each other. When someone is hit, they must sit. Here's where the doctor, just one of the players to the other team, may touch the injured and bring them back into play. Hint: the players shouldn't just pop up when touched- this will give away the doctor. Also, we recommend a decoy touching kids as well. When the doctor is hit, the team's only hope is their skill.

The object: Eliminating the opposing team, including their doctor.
submitted by Jon Talley

Dragon Dodge Ball:

Have the entire group make a circle. Pick four to five people for each team. The first team goes into the center of the circle and forms a line by attaching their hands to the waist of the person in front of them. The people who make up the circle throw the ball at the "dragon", trying to hit the last person below the waist. Once hit, the last person returns to the outside circle and players continue to hit the new person at the end of the dragon until there in only one person left and they too are hit. A new team then goes into the middle. Time each team to see which one can last the longest.

Elbow Tag:

Divide everyone into partners and have them stand together arm-in-arm (elbows locked together) in your play area. Divide one set of partners and make one player "it" and the other player the snipe (the victim, the damsel, whatever!) The snipe runs when you say go while "it" tries to tag him or her. The snipe can lock arms with anyone, and that person's partner must disconnect and is now the snipe. They in turn can lock arms with another player sending yet another snipe out. When the snipe is finally caught, "it" and the snipe become partners and the last set of partners touched become "it" and the snipe.

Estrogen Hoop:

This is a great time filler involving everyone. It's simple. All that you need is a basketball court and a ball. Have everyone (up to about 50 people) on the basketball court at once. Play normal basketball but with the following rules added:

Gargoyles

This is kind of like a Mission Impossible/Freeze tag game except a lot more fun. This game is great for lock-ins or all-nighters because it must be pitch dark outside. This must be played in a facility with a lot of rooms. First you should have more than 10 or 12 people to play. The more people, more fun. Next, you need a standard flashlight with 4 parts to it: 2 batteries, the handle, and the light head. You must turn off all the lights in the church or facility except one room. This room is the one that you explain the game in. It can also be for the staff members and students that aren't playing to hang out in.

Assign 2 people to be the gargoyles. If you have 10 or less, assign 1. As you are explaining the rules and objectives, have a staff member hide the parts of the flashlight in obvious places that you would see in the light but not too easy in dark. Tell that staff member also to make sure all doors of rooms that kids may hide or go in are open. If they are shut, that is a sign that students may not go in there.

Let all the students, besides the gargoyles, loose to find the pieces to the flashlight. 3 minutes after you let the students go, let the gargoyles loose. When a gargoyle touches someone, they are frozen and must remain in the same spot they were tagged in. The only way a student can be unfrozen is if a person with a piece of the flashlight touches them. The objective for the gargoyles is to freeze everyone. The objective for the others is to find the flashlight pieces, put it together, and shine it on the gargoyles.

If the person with the "completed" flashlight gets tagged before he or she shines it on the gargoyles then the gargoyles win. If the gargoyles are spotted by the flashlight then the others win.

If a person with a part gets tagged, he or she can't hand it off to another passerby- they have to wait until they are unfrozen. If someone with a part is getting chased and feels that they will be tagged they may roll the part to the side and tell other people by yelling, "There is a piece next to me, someone come get it!" Gargoyles may not touch the pieces. Frozen people may yell to everyone else about where the gargoyles are or to come and unfreeze them.

To avoid cheating, assign 2 staff members or 2 trusty students to be "watchmen". They can take away watches with lights, laser lights, or any other source of light. They may warn people the first time, then kick people out of the game for running away after they are frozen.

Added by Shorty FCC Langley, Oklahoma

Human Foosball:

You play just like table game only with real people linked in rows. Split the kids into two teams, have a captain decide who goes in which rows and how many in each row. Each entire team faces one direction and has to stay that way. They link arms by holding the person's elbows next to them. The whole row has to stay within their boundaries like in the game, but they can slide back and forth left and right.

When you play inside you can mark the boundaries with masking tape, or if you play outside you can used paint if acceptable or tape or flour. If you play in a building if you need to remove pretty much everything from the room. If you play outside, it is best if you play between two buildings so that the ball stays in the game. If you play in a field have lots of folks around to toss the ball back into play.

Make sure everyone is wearing shoes, it can get a little fierce with the kicking. Also, USE A BALL that is SOFT - we use a stuffed soccer ball, or you could use a really soft nerf ball.

Variation of the game, use more than one ball at a time.
Added by Eric and Cindy Scott

Jail break:

2 two teams leaders against students The leaders try to catch the students and put them in prison. In the gym (or main meeting room) area the leaders can catch students by hitting them with something like a nerf ball. Outside the gym, however, the leaders need to actually tag them.
Here is where it gets tricky Leaders Can ONLY run in the gym. They are free to run as fast as they want anywhere they want in the gym, trying to protect a designated jail in the gym. Out side of the gym the leaders are very robot-like. They have to walk AND they can only turn if they touch a wall or come to the edge of a designated boundry/perimeter. Leaders have to strategize and maybe use three leaders to trap one student.
Prison Students go to prison if they are hit with a nerf ball or if they have been tagged. Students can get free only when another student touches the prison. Watch-out once you are free the leaders can throw balls at you.

1. Always make the prison in the gym. 2. Make sure the students know you cannot run outside the gym. 3. Make sure the leaders know they cannot turn in any direction outside the gym area unless they touch a wall in front of them or come to the edge of a designated boundry/perimeter.. 4. Lights are on in the gym and off everywhere else. We played this game and now they don't want to play anything else. Added by Pastor Tim Ritchey

Landmines:

Materials needed, blindfolds, Water balloons (can be substituted by Styrofoam coffee cups, or various other dry things for inside use), and students. Set up the mine field by randomly placing the water balloons in a marked section of ground (a concrete slab or basketball court work well for this. grass also works, but you will need to set boundaries). Put your students into groups of about 4 or 5. Give each team a blindfold. Put the blindfolds on one member of each team. The point of the game is for the team to get across the mine field with the fewest casualties the fastest.

If a person touches a mine he/she is out (if it bursts water on them, it just makes it more fun). The team members must be their eyes and tell them which way to go. The blindfolded people crossing the field must stay within the set boundaries, and only one person per team may be on the mine field at a time (so they can't lead them by touch). Team members help each other by shouting directions. Works best if mines are close together and if teams are close together. Sponsors may yell out random directions to try to throw them off.

The trick is (don't tell the kids this till after it's over) for the person in the mine field to pick out a certain voice and listen to that one voice. Just like we need to listen to God's voice instead of all the voices that the world throws at us.
Added by Derek

Line tag:

This works great in a gym with lots of lines, we have an AWANA circle, it's a kick.

'It' tends to get tired quick, so when this happens, we tell 'it' to choose a zombie or mummy (the walking dead) to trap people easier. Make sure that the zombie walks, not runs.

You can also use the same concept for line basketball and line soccer, depending on your facility.
submitted by Jon Talley

Long Base ( a KICKBALL/DODGEBALL MEDLEY)

Great game for a large group. Divide into 2 teams, one in the field and one "at bat". Two or three students bat at a time by bouncing a dodgeball and hitting it with with their hand(s)/arm(s). After hitting the ball, the students attempt to run to the far wall of the gym without being hit. Students in the feild may get a batter out by throwing and hitting them with any of the balls that were hit. If a student makes it to the far wall, he must keep a hand on it to remain safe. To score a run, the student must make it back from the far wall to the original line he batted from(home). Students may remain safe at the far wall as long as they want, and there is no limit to the number of students that can stay safe. They can try to run home at any time except when the new batters are holding the balls.
Added by Dean Butters, Rolling Meadows, IL

Opposite Arm Dodge Ball:

game is played just like it sounds. Set up any dodge ball game that your kids like, however, make them throw with their opposite arm. This is a great game and really funny. It helps keep your jocks from dominating the game and also encourages the more sensitive kids, who are afraid of getting hit, to play. I normally play and act really dumb trying to throw with my wrong arm, kids laugh at me and we have a great time.
Added by Ian Newton

Poorman's Beachball Volleyball:

Use your staff as net (all lined up across the court with hands in the air) and play normal volleyball with a beachball. Allow as many hit per side as needed and allow as many players as needed (your whole group, in other words)

Protect the President

For this game all you need is a volleyball-sized Nerf ball. All the kids stand in a wide circle with two people in the middle. one person in the middle is the President, the other is the Bodyguard. The poeple in the circle have the Nerf ball, and throw it at the president. The bodyguard may do anything to block the ball with his bodyjump, squat, dive, etc. The ball may NEVER touch the president. If the ball touches the President at any time, the person who threw the ball (or the last person to touch it) then becomes the Bodyguard, the Bodyguard becomes the President, and the President goes back into the circle.
What makes this REALLY exciting is that from the moment the President is hit, the new Presdent is vulnerable the transition is instantaneous. The new bodyguard must be fast at getting into the circle to defend him or her. This sometimes makes Presidential Turnover pretty quick, but it's exciting. This game is EXHAUSTING, especially if the people in the middle are good. Be ready to sweat if you play. One strategy for the "shooters" is to pass the ball around the circle and keep it moving to wear the people in the middle down. They'll eventually tire and the president will get hit. As the kids get more experience at the game, they will develop strategies and tactics, and will thoroughly enjoy themselves.
Added by J. Hart

Rio Linda Kickball:

This is a lot like normal kickball with a bunch of backwards twists (hence the name "Rio Linda," if you've ever been there, you know exactly what I mean!) Here are the rules:

Rio Linda Wiffle Ball:

This is the same as Rio Linda Kickball but with a wiffle ball and bat. One added rule for this game: runners must carry the bat with them to 3rd (the first) base. If they drop the bat they are out!

Safe Golf:

This is a great activity to kill time at the beginning of an event- it can be done indoor our outdoors . . . although it works best with a good amount of space. The same as driving a regular golf ball, the only difference is. . . you use marshmallows. See who can hit them the furthest distance. It is safe where there are people around and fun for all ages
Added by Rick Hilton

Sardines

This is game is kind of a reverse "hide and go seek". Turn out all the lights. Have one person go hide. Everyone else is “it” and looks for this person. As soon as one person finds the person hiding, he or she hides with the person. Now there are two hiding. As soon as someone else finds them, that person hides with them. You end up with a bunch of people packed like “sardines” in one hiding spot with one poor person trying to find everyone.
Added by Adalis and Jonathan McKee

Torpedo:

This game is a gym-version of the pool game "sharks and minnows." Using a basketball court or marking your own, you need a large rectangle. Two kids are chosen as the "launchers" while the rest of the group (anywhere from 15 to 50 kids works fine) lines up outside one of the short sides of the rectangle. The launchers stand on either of the long sides of the rectangle, armed with dodgeballs or something similar. A leader or youth is the caller. The caller shouts "TORPEDO!" and the kids start to run as fast as they can to get past the line on the other side, where they are safe. While they are running, the launchers try to hit as many people as possible with their dodgeballs, while staying behind their own lines. They usually can only get one good throw in, since they can't cross the line. Any runner who gets hit must sit down exactly where they are. They are now land mines.
Now it gets interesting. Each time the kids torpedo across the room, there are more and more land mines to hit them. The youth on the floor can try to touch the runners. Anyone touched must sit down too. Eventually you get down to two lonely runners, and then one winner. You can play again and again and again.... it's a blast to watch (and to play).
Added by Becky Heffner

Trashball:

divide into two teams
use a trashcan that is about the same size as your ball
have each team choose a trash can holder (rotate regularly, its a fun place to be)
have each one stand up on a chair
make a boundry of about 10 feet around each holder with tape
anyone caught inside the tape must sit there indefinately (at your discretion)
for large groups, add an extra ball or two
they can only take 3 steps when they have the ball, so more are involved

this is a fun game because anyone can make a full court shot, so we tell them the ball must touch a certain # of girls before you can shoot. Enjoy the game!
submitted by Jon Talley

Tube Mania:

- You can have a TUBEMANIA night and play all the following games!

Tubal Injury

Mark a large square in the field and place a stack of seven to ten inner tubes in the center of the square. Divide the group into four equal teams, each one lining up on their side of the square. Number the players on each team from one to however many players are on each team.

The object of the game is to get as many inner tubes as possible across your team's line. Call out several numbers. The players with those numbers run to the center and start dragging the inner tubes to their lines. There may be several players tugging on the same tube. Each tube successfully pulled across a team's line is a score (one point) for that team.

Once the kids get the hang of it, add a soccer ball to the game. Each team gets a point deducted from their score if the ball is kicked over their line. Team members along the team line act as goalies. Once the ball touches the ground in their territory the point is scored against them.

To further complicate the game, add a cage ball, or earth ball (four to eight feet in diameter). The team that gets this ball across their own line gets three additional points.

Criss, cross, crash:

Jump Through:

Michelin Man Bumper Tube:

Tubal Tug:

Twinkie Launch

Borrow or purchase a clay pigeon thrower. This was not the kind you hold in your hand, it was the kind that mounts on a base and fires the clay pigeon with a giant spring and a catapult arm.

Without telling them why, I told all participants of the overnighter to bring one wrapped Little Debbie or Hostess product. Later in the evening when the kids needed a snack, I had them all stand in a group at the other end of the gym (our church meets in a gymnasium) and I fired litte debbies through the air with the clay pigeon thrower. IT WAS AWESOME!! As I experimented with it, I was able to fire three or four at once at a distance of 50 feet and a height of about 13 feet. I also fired some bananas which went the entire length of the gym and splattered on the back wall. (oops!)

A word of warning though. This type of clay pigeon thrower uses EXTREME spring tension. If a teen were to play around with it they could literally lose a limb if the catapult arm hit them. I made sure that I covered the thrower up until I used it and then removed it from the auditorium as soon as I was done so that no one would mess with it.
Added by Marc Kidwell, Smyrna Church of Christ

Ultimate Frisbee (Frisbee Football):

If you've never played this you've missed out. Divide into two teams, each trying to get to the opposite end zone. One team kicks (throws actually) off and the other team receives. When a player catches the frisbee they can take only 3 steps then they must throw it. Team work their way down the field, passing to each other until a team scores. If the team hits the ground it's the other teams ball (frisbee actually). If a defensive player knocks the frisbee to the ground possession switches as well. Defensive players must give any person already holding a frisbee at least 3 feet clearance.

Wiffle Ball:

Do I need to explain this game? You might ask me why I put it on the list even. I'll tell you. Come in real close so I can whisper it in your ear . . . BECAUSE IT'S FUN!!! Note: take a peak at Rio Linda Wiffle Ball for an added twist!